2023 Lait’xcellent Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saint-Hyacinthe, April 16, 2024 – Ferme Morine of Coaticook, Ferme J.P. & M.L. Forcier of Saint-Louis, and Ferme Gagnonval of Sainte-Hénédine have ranked first, second, and third at the provincial level for the exceptional quality of their milk. They respectively won the Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards in the 2023 edition of the Lait’xcellent contest. The winners were announced during the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Quebec Milk Producers.

Videos showcasing the winners of the 2023 Lait’xcellent contest are available on our YouTube channel. https://bit.ly/3xBkQPM.

Gold Lait’xcellent Award 2023

Ferme Morine, Coaticook, Estrie

Véronique Lévesque and Réjean Morin have owned Ferme Morine, located in Coaticook in the Estrie region, since 2001. They are the third generation to manage the farm. This is their fourth consecutive year on the podium for the Lait’xcellent contest. The couple spends a lot of time in the barn and focuses on prevention to ensure the health and well-being of their animals. Their herd consists of 35 milking cows. For them, milk quality is also a family affair, with their sons Jérémi and Frédéric highly involved on the farm. Since last summer, Frédéric has been working full-time, becoming the fourth generation to take over the family business. This year, Ferme Morine has embarked on a new venture by participating in the “Living Lab – Carbon-Neutral Milk” project. Over the next five years, research projects will be conducted on their farm.

In addition to being among the provincial finalists for Lait’xcellent for the fourth time, Ferme Morine has earned two Grande Distinction certificates and five Très Grande Distinction certificates in recent years.

Silver Lait’xcellent Award 2023

Ferme J.P. & M.L. Forcier, Saint-Louis, Montérégie-Est

Martin and his father, Jean-Pierre Forcier, own Ferme J.P. & M.L. Forcier, located in Saint-Louis in the Montérégie-Est region. Martin joined the business in 2014 after working as a machinist outside the farm. He found agriculture to be a profession that allowed him to combine different interests. The farm has 52 milking cows housed in a free-stall barn with robotic milking since 2019. The farm’s maintenance is carried out with great rigor and precision. Martin believes in closely monitoring each cow’s health. He relies on his father, Jean-Pierre, and his family for daily support. Martin has three sons, ensuring the future of the family business. This is the second consecutive year the farm has earned the Lait’xcellent Silver award. In addition to this second consecutive placement in Quebec, Ferme J.P. & M.L. Forcier has won five Grande Distinction certificates and one Très Grande Distinction certificate in recent years. Martin and Jean-Pierre are the second robotic milking producers to rank among the provincial finalists.

Bronze Lait’xcellent Award 2023

Ferme Gagnonval, Sainte-Hénédine, Chaudière-Appalaches-Sud

Marc and Daniel Gagnon from Ferme Gagnonval, located in Sainte-Hénédine in the Chaudière-Appalaches-Sud region, have about 30 milking cows and 100 acres of crops. The brothers have been business partners for 30 years. For them, milk quality comes down to details—genetics, feed, presence in the barn, and cow welfare are all key elements. Marc manages the crops and mechanics, while Daniel oversees herd management and accounting. However, they milk the cows together almost every day.

Marc and Daniel are also committed to innovation and trying new methods. Part of their herd is housed in a cold barn built 30 years ago. The brothers have received several Très Grande Distinction certificates in recent years, but this is the first time they have won at the provincial level, a great source of pride for them. This award is a well-deserved recognition for these two producers nearing the end of their careers.

Milk quality is a priority for producers

In Quebec, as in Canada, milk quality standards are among the highest in the industry, with stringent requirements on the absence of antibiotics in milk and the prohibition of growth hormones for animals.

Quebec dairy producers practice optimal quality management by adhering to the strict rules of the Canadian Quality Milk program, which aims to prevent, monitor, and reduce food safety risks on the farm. This program is one of the components of proAction, a sustainable farm management initiative for dairy producers.

About Lait’xcellent

The Lait’xcellent competition has been held every year since 1987 by Les Producteurs de lait du Québec to reward the dairy farms in each region that achieve the best quality results as well as three provincial winners.

Learn more about LAIT’XCELLENT

About Les Producteurs de lait du Québec

About Les Producteurs de lait du Québec

Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, affiliated with the UPA, represents Quebec’s 4,087 dairy farms, which deliver roughly 3.60 billion litres of milk, for a total of over $3.61 billion in farm revenues. Milk production and processing create around 66,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in Quebec and contribute as much as $6.1 billion to the gross domestic product. Ultimately, they generate over $1 billion in tax revenues. The dairy sector’s impacts are critical because they play a role in land occupancy and maintenance of the social fabric across the province. Through its sponsorship and milk donation program, Les Producteurs de lait du Québec not only supports key events in Quebec society, but also helps eliminate hunger and ensure food security. Because they care about sustainable development in their sector, dairy producers invested $649 million in 2025 in machinery, equipment and buildings, specifically to improve their practices and the comfort of their animals.

For more information, visit our website at www.lait.org or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

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François Dumontier
Director – Communications, Public Affairs and Union
Les Producteurs de lait du Québec
Office : (438) 315-9129
Cell : (514) 713-0530
[email protected]